The_Isms

The Isms The Isms The fact that man knows right from wrong proves his intellectual superiority to other creatures; but the fact that he can do wrong proves his moral inferiority to any creature that cannot. – Mark Twain This quote from Mark Twain concisely introduces an overview of the “isms” and their relation to morality. There may be a universal moral code or morality may be relative, but the only reason that philosophers continue to term “isms” is the need to explain humankind’s propensity either to declare a moral absolute and then to break it himself or to see someone else break it and while doing so either to provide a logical justification or to blatantly act immorally. Cultural relativism does not attempt to resolve the varieties of moral opinions from around the globe, but rather embraces them. Relativism is based on the notion that there are no universal moral principles. The norm of the society in which one resides is the basis for morality in cultural relativism. One values things because they are a part of their world. Public opinion rather than private determines what is right and wrong for a particular set of people. Because there are no universal isms, one, moral, theory, relativism, morality, wrong, right, own, interests, egoism, cultural, another, rather, people, morally, man, individuals, however, while, universal, tell, others, naturalism, justification, just, individual, happiness, given, feelings, ethics, either, done, cannot, behavior, because, based